Peterson Park

A
vibrant retail plaza, unique schools, solid housing stock, and close proximity
to parks and universities make this neighborhood in the northwest side of
Chicago a popular place to live.Peterson Parkis a stable community and
home to many faculty and students from nearby North Park and Northeastern
universities. The collegiate air in Peterson Park is not to be outdone by the
recreation opportunities, including a golf course and Little League baseball
stadium. And in Peterson Park there's only one place to go for shopping and
entertainment, the Lincoln Village Shopping Center, where you can peruse the
latest fashions and products, and then catch the new Hollywood blockbuster at
the Lincoln Village six-screen Cineplex.

Peterson Park Facts

Location: Approximately 13 miles northwest of the LoopBoundaries: Devon Avenue to the north, the North Branch of the Chicago River to the east, Peterson Avenue to the south and Pulaski Road to the westBordering Neighborhoods:Sauganash, Peterson Park Grounds, Hollywood Park, West Rogers Park, Peterson WoodsCrime Statistics: Go to CLEARMap for crime stats on specific Chicago neighborhood, intersection, address or police beat.

Then and Now

The
Native American Potawatomi were the original residents of what is now the
Peterson Park neighborhood. The nearby resources of the Chicago River's North
Branch provided fish and fresh water, making the area a desirable setting for
the tribe's small villages. By the 1850s, Germans, Luxembourgers, and Swedes
arrived on the scene and began farming the land along the river's banks.

Pehr Samuel Peterson left Sweden in 1850 and settled in the
Chicago area in 1854. A pioneering horticulturalist, Peterson started a
landscape nursery and acquired more than 500 acres of property just north of
the city. Soon, his prospering nursery was providing trees to beautify many of
the city's parks and neighborhoods. After Peterson's death in 1903, his family
donated a large tract of land to the city, part of which eventually became
Peterson Park Grounds, which lies just south of the neighborhood's boundaries.
The enterprising horticulturalist would probably take pride in the fact that
his legacy lives on, not only in the title of the park itself, but also in the
name of the neighborhood and Peterson Avenue.

Throughout the latter 1800s, the area that is now Peterson Park
saw little change, remaining primarily farmland. Near the turn of the century,
however, North Park College was established about one mile south of the
neighborhood, and developers began subdividing surrounding area for housing.

The population grew quickly from 1910 to 1930, when newbungalowsand two-flats were constructed and industry formed along a
stretch of Peterson Avenue. The populace continued to climb during and after
World War II. To meet the demands of the growing numbers of consumers in the
community, the Chicago area's first modern shopping center-Lincoln Village-was
built near the intersection of Peterson and Lincoln avenues in 1952. After a
period of decline in the 1970s and 1980s, the center has been revitalized with
a variety of new stores, a new movie theater, and an abundance of parking
spaces.

Today, the Peterson Park neighborhood is a stable community,
home to faculty, staff, and students of nearby North Park University and
Northeastern University (both just south of the neighborhood's boundaries), as
well as families from all walks of life.

Parks

Ask Little Leaguers on Chicago's north side where they'd
most like to play, and chances are the Stadium
at Devon and Kedzie (formerly known asThillens
Stadium) at (6404 N
Kedzie Ave, 312-742-4870) will be their quick response. Thillens has been
hosting Little League baseball and softball games for almost 70 years. Back in
the late 1930s, the Thillens family, originally from Luxembourg, loved playing
softball on the prairie. They decided to build a stadium for their games, and
the Thillens check-cashing and armored car businesses became sponsors of the
new ballpark.

Little League baseball, adult softball, and a variety of
charity games continued for decades, but in 2005-to the dismay of Little
Leaguers and baseball fans of all ages-the Thillens family foundation announced
it could no longer afford to fund the stadium. Fortunately, the Chicago Cubs
and other corporate sponsors stepped in and made a contribution to keep
Thillens open and Little League dreams alive.

Playing at Thillens is a major-league experience for kids.
It has lights for night games, and a real announcer who calls players' names
over the public address system. Michael Jordan and Billy Williams are among the
Chicago sports luminaries who have played at Thillens in annual Chicago
celebrity softball games. The stadium has also hosted the miniature 'Cross Town
Classic'-featuring the Little League Cubs against the Little League White
Sox-which marks the opening day of the Inner City Little League season. Another
popular event that brings crowds to Thillens is the annual softball game
pitting the Chicago police against Chicago firefighters. Hopefully, Thillens
will continue celebrating baseball for years to come in Peterson Park.

Another Peterson Park landmark that has been packing in
kids (and adults) for more than 50 years isNovelty
Golf and Games(3650 W
Devon Ave, 847 679-9434). Boasting two 18-hole miniature golf courses, baseball
batting cages with slow, medium, and major-league speeds, a video game room and
the Bunny Hutch restaurant (serving up snacks and ice cream sundaes), Novelty
Golf has hosted its share of kids' birthday parties and teenagers' first dates.
Open seven days a week until midnight, it's a fun place for family outings,
too.

Peterson Park Real Estate

Peterson Park real estate is solidly stocked with traditional
brickbungalows, Georgians,
and English Tudors. A mix of one- and two-story homes lines the residential
streets, edged by tall trees, landscaped shrubbery, and green lawns. You'll
also find several new condominium developments in the neighborhood, including
some specifically for seniors.

What's on the Menu?

Top-notch restaurants that have stood the test of time
await foodies in Peterson Park.

For Italian cuisine,Monastero's
Ristorante & Banquets(3935
W Devon Ave, 773-588-2515) is a perennial favorite. Monastero's roots can be
traced back to 1962, when the Monastero family opened their Peterson Park restaurant and
called it called La Canopy. Today, Monastero's is still family owned and
operated, and not only does it serve mouthwatering Mediterranean and
continental cuisine, it boasts an annual wine festival, elegant banquet
facilities, Italian opera evenings, and more.

Monastero's dining room is a work of art, with bas-reliefs
and paintings commemorating Sicilian history. The food at Monastero's is
nothing short of amazing. Some of our favorites from the dinner menu include
the filet of tilapia Livornese, rib-eye steak Palermitana, and an asparagus
shitake risotto that you won't find anywhere else. Some desserts that send us
reeling are the cannolo Siciliano and a scrumptious Sicilian cheesecake with
chocolate ganache. The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner and carryout, and
the menu choices are extensive. We suggest you visit again and again to try
everything!

Via Veneto Cucina Italiana(6340 N Lincoln Ave, 773-267-0888) has been
satisfying hungry neighborhood residents for a long time. Authentic Italian
recipes are served up in an intimate dining room accented with warm pastel
colors and dark wood furnishings. Banquets, wedding, showers, and other
events-for large or small groups-are very popular here, a testament to the food
and service. We love Via Veneto's specials, which change regularly, but are
always supreme culinary delights. House dishes that get our nod are the branzio
alla griglia (grilled Chilean sea bass with spinach and beans), faggottini
(pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese, pears, smoked chicken, and creamy balsamic
dressing), and a Chicago original-chicken vesuvio with potatoes. Via Veneto is
open for lunch and dinner, and prices are very reasonable across the board.

For a more casual Peterson Park restaurant option, consider Whistlers Restaurant (3420 W Devon Ave, 847-673-9270). This diner offers a menu of classic options,
with great soups of the day, including the much-praised sweet and sour cabbage
soup. Whistlers is perhaps best known
for its great service. The staff really goes above and beyond to make sure
customers are taken care of.

If you want to make it a margarita Monday, or Tuesday, or
Wednesday, check out Campeche (6112
N Lincoln Ave, 773-583-1680). Offering
what you would expect from a neighborhood Mexican restaurant, this is a solid
Peterson Park restaurant to have a margarita and enjoy some fajitas. The friendly service completes the picture,
and you'll be sure to leave happy with a full stomach.

Best Shopping Stops

Peterson Parkers know the meaning of one-stop shopping
because in this north side neighborhood there is a single location that covers
every base-all under one roof.

The recent revitalization of theLincoln Village Shopping
Center(Peterson and Lincoln Avenues) has
brought a bounty of major retailers to the neighborhood that has improved the Peterson Park shopping experience. For women's fashions Dress Barn (6193 N Lincoln Ave,
773-267-7701) has a nice selection of fashions for women. Visitors are pleasantly surprised by the
quality of the clothes as well as the fashion.
For the family on a budget, Ross
Dress for Less makes sure you get the most style for your clothing
allowance. It can be a bit of a treasure
hunt, so come prepared to dig:
persistence is rewarded!

And if you are a shoe lover, Famous Footwear (6201 N McCormick Rd,
773-478-9275) and Payless Shoe Source
(6133 N Lincoln Ave, 773-539-5280) offer reasonable prices and a big selection.
That's just a sampling of the Peterson Park stores available at Lincoln Village Shopping
Center, and with ample parking, you don't need to worry about finding a space.

Across the street you'll find Home Depot (6211 N Lincoln Ave,
773-588-5828) with everything and anything you could possibly need for your
home improvement projects. Additionally,
the store has a great selection of patio and garden items, so if you want to
start growing some tomatoes on your back porch, you can find everything from
the pots to the soil to the plants in one stop.

Showtime!

If you live in Peterson Park, a night out at the movies is just minutes from home. The Lincoln Village Theater (6341 N McCormick Rd, 773-604-4747) has six screens with stadium seating and digital sound, perfect for catching that new release or the blockbuster you've been meaning to see but have put off for a few weeks. We like to go to the theater's bargain matinees to save a bit of money, and we've even taken advantage of the management's free refill policy for soft drinks and popcorn.

Getting Around

For being such a small neighborhood, Peterson Park offers residents plenty of different modes of transportation to get around both the community and the city at large.

Those who like to commute by bus have several options for getting to various destinations throughout the city. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) offers bus service on Peterson Avenue from Caldwell and Central avenues to the Bryn Mawr Red Line Rapid Transit station, where riders can catch the train to downtown Chicago. Commuters can also get to the Red Line by boarding the Devon Avenue bus at Devon and Kedzie Avenues. It stops at Western, Clark, and Broadway before its final stop at the Morse Avenue Red Line Rapid Transit Station. The Pulaski bus travels south down Pulaski Road all the way to 31st Street on Chicago's south side.

Those who need to get to the northern suburbs of Chicago can simply take the Peterson Avenue bus to the end of the line, where the Metra Milwaukee District North Line's Edgebrook station (6402 N Central Avenue) is just steps away. The train goes all the way to Fox Lake, Illinois, and to Chicago's Union Station on the west side of the Loop.

For drivers, there's an entrance ramp to the Edens Expressway (I-94) a few minutes west of the neighborhood, near Peterson and Cicero avenues. Tooling about Peterson Park is generally easy and congestion-free, as the neighborhood is less densely populated than many of the surrounding areas.

School's in Session

Peterson Park schools includes a public high
school with a national reputation for academic excellence and an international
charter school. In addition to the following list, you can find more
information on the Peterson Park neighborhood and Chicago area schools atour Chicago
Guide Schools page.

There's a lot of mystery involved in searching for a new home-it starts with the property and expands outward to encompass the street, the block, the neighborhood, the entire city! Every little thing matters from the color of the walls to the attractions of the town. That's why a guide like this one on Peterson Park is so helpful to potential homebuyers. Without leaving the comfort of your desktop computer or laptop, you've got an extensive pool of information on all of Chicago's neighborhoods that includes first-hand descriptions of dining, entertainment, shopping, bars, and events, in addition to lists of schools, hospitals, post offices, and gyms. We've done all the research to carefully craft this one-stop online spot, and create your hub for the real deal on Peterson Park. So as soon as a Chicago loft, condo, townhome or house catches your eye, you know where to come for the low down on the digs around that prime piece of real estate.